I'm a high-low player because there are only shoe games near me. I will go to Vegas regularly for the next few years (I suppose). Here's my question:
Since I already know high-low, should I bother learning another system for SD or DD games?
Would I be better off learning something like the KO?
I have no problem keeping a side-count--should I go with a hi-opt?
You don't mention your betting level. If you play red, betting more aggresively is probably more effective than going to the trouble of learning a new system. If you play green or higher, you may want to think about a level twoo system.
shoeguy,
I'd suggest you start keeping an ace side count. You'll use this to neutralize the -1 value given to aces so that you may make more accurate playing decisions. Your bet will still be made according to your high low count. For playing decisions add 1 to your running count for each ace played. This will give you a Playing Efficiency of 0.60 which is for all intents and purposes the same as the Hi Opt with the added advantage of having been tracking the twos. Hit 'em hard, The Side
...same 6D indices are fine.... add more indices, up to 60+.... don't bother with a side-count.... get clear and actively seek out what consititutes good game combos of spread/%pene. G
I learned Hi-Lo first. In the area where I play they didn't have SD games, but did have DD games. I used Hi-Lo for the DD games. Within the last 3 or 4 years several SD games have popped up. Heat is a major factor. I learned the AO2 count for the SD games because of it's high playing efficiency. Now, I use the Hi-Lo count for shoe games and DD games, and the AO2 for SD games.
JB
...with great regularity then, personally, I'd switch to Hi-Opt I with an ace side count and at least a doubling of my current indices. I originally started with Hi-Opt and switched to Hi-Lo some time back as I almost exclusively play 6D games. Playing efficiency of a count system is much more important at single deck, and the above will give you that. As long as your practice intensively for the game and some of the changes in basic strategy, I don't think it would be that difficult to switch back and forth between Hi-Lo and Hi-Opt, though you may want to consider compromising by using your original ill. 18 for Hi-Lo if it is confusing to make switches in index #s, but learn the correct additional indices of the Hi-Opt.
Just one of many opinions,
Telescopic
If the ace is neutralized for playing decisions, then aren't we dealing with an unbalanced count, since there are now 5 high cards (2-6) and 4 low cards (10-K)? Doesn't this mean that the TC will not tend to be zero, as with a balanced count? Won't the indices be different than they are when using a Hi-Lo count? It seems that everyone says one of two things:
1) for playing decisions, add 1 to the RC for each ace that has appeared, in order to neutralize the ace.
2) for playing decisions, add 1 to the RC for every "extra" ace that has been removed (e.g. - 1/4 deck played in single deck, 2 aces have appeared, which is 1 more than is expected).
Which of these is correct? Am I thinking too much?
...I would be interested in employing an ace side count, but presently am too afraid to go forward with it, since I obviously do not have a full understanding of what exactly is being done, other than neutralizing the ace.
--Thanks, Homer J.
Homer, Yes when we neutralize the aces we are then dealing with an unbalanced count. For the HiLo this unbalanced count will have a Playing Efficiency (PE) of 0.60. After we've made this temporary adjustment, and made our playing decision, we return to the original running count, which is balanced, to determine bet size.
The reason we want to eliminate the effect of the aces is that they really aren't very important to the play of a hand, while tens are very important. Once the aces have been neutralized the only negative value cards affecting the count (in HiLO) are tens. This means we'll be making much more accurate deviations from basic strategy.
As for the "extra aces" system it's basically designed for counts like Hi-Opt which do not count the ace in the main count. It's also a lot more work and more confusing as you'll need to know numbers for different numbers of decks in the discard tray. You can read more about this method in "Million Dollar Blackjack". Hit 'em hard, The Side
If you use a side-count of aces for playing the hands in hi-lo, many, many indices will differ from the ace-reckoned version of hi-lo. See Wong's older edition of "Pro BJ," Appendixes A and C to see this.
For example, insurance becomes 3.0 for SD or DD, whereas the "normal" indices are 1.4 and 2.4. And, there are many other examples.
Don
Where can I find a table of indices for using the Hi-Lo with an ace-sidecount for SD, DD and shoe games?
Is there a site on the web or a book I should buy? Do any computer programs make indices with side-counts?
"Where can I find a table of indices for using the Hi-Lo with an ace-sidecount for SD, DD and shoe games?"
In the hard, "bible cover" edition of "Pro BJ" that preceded the current, soft-cover one.
Don
